Malaysian-based Aceh separatist leader calls for talks with Jakarta

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, March 7 (AFP) - An exiled separatist leader fighting for independence in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province has urged talks with Jakarta in a bid to end violence in the strife-torn territory.

In an interview published Monday by the Aceh-based Serambi daily newspaper, Don Zulfahri, the secretary general of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) based in neighboring Malaysia, urged "the nation of Aceh" to hold a dialogue with the Indonesian government.

"The nation of Aceh means that all elements of community in Aceh are included, not only the GAM," Zulfahri said.

"Because through a dialogue all parties concerned will put forward their views, thereby paving the way for the right solution," he said.

Zulfahri belongs to a more moderate faction of GAM, led by the group's interior minister Husaini Hasan, also based in Malaysia.

He urged Indonesian security forces not to target innocent civilians in its campaign to quash separatist rebels.

"Don't hurt the people. If soldiers and police want to take action against provocateurs, security disturbers, go ahead. But please don't target the people," he appealed.

In Jakarta Tuesday the Indonesian Observer daily quoted an Aceh community leader, Abdullah Puteh, as saying Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid had asked the Malaysian government for help in solving the Aceh problem.

"The fact is Indonesia has asked the Malaysian government to help mediate a reconciliation between the conflicting parties, and the Malaysian government has agreed to do it," the Observer quoted Puteh as saying after he and 24 other Acehnese leaders met with Wahid.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to visit Indonesia on Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile North Aceh rebel army commander, Darwis Jeunib denied a Jakarta police claim last week that the GAM had bought firearms manufactured by Indonesian military-owned company PT Pindad, calling it "a cheap provocation".

Aceh, an oil-rich province on the western tip of Sumatra island, has been wracked by daily clashes between Indonesian troops and the separatists.

In the latest violence on Sunday, two Indonesian troops were killed by suspected guerillas in the Cot Pradi are of West Aceh, police spokesman Sayed Husaini said.

More than 250 people, mostly civilians, have been killed so far this year.

A decade of military operations against rebels, that ended in 1998, and the syphoning off of the province's resources have fuelled popular resentment against Jakarta.

Calls for a referendum on self-rule have been mounting but President Abdurrahman Wahid has ruled that out, proposing only a vote on whether the province adopts Islamic law.

Wahid has said the problems in Aceh could be solved by the end of March.

On Monday Human Rights Minister Hasballah Saad said Indonesia's ambassador in Switzerland had completed talks with Aceh separatist leaders in exile and that both parties had agreed to solve the Aceh crisis "politically".

"That means a solution to the Aceh case will be sought through political dialogues," Saad was quoted by the official Antara news agency as saying.

But he said GAM's supreme commander Hasan Tiro, based in Stockholm, did not attend the dialogue with the ambassador. ___________________

Utusan Malaysia - 7/03/2000

Pemimpin Acheh dalam buangan desak Jakarta berunding

BANDA ACHEH 7 Mac - Pemimpin pejuang kemerdekaan Acheh yang dalam buangan menggesa rundingan dengan Jakarta dalam usaha menamatkan keganasan di wilayah itu.

Dalam wawancara disiarkan semalam oleh akhbar Serambi yang beribu pejabat di Acheh, Don Zulfahri, Setiausaha Agung Gerakan Acheh Merdeka (GAM) yang berpangkalan di Malaysia, menggesa 'bangsa Acheh' mengadakan dialog dengan kerajaan Indonesia.

''Bangsa Acheh bermaksud semua elemen dalam masyarakat di Acheh terbabit, bukan setakat GAM saja,'' kata Don.

''Ini kerana melalui dialog, semua pihak terbabit akan mengemukakan pandangan mereka, lantas membuka jalan penyelesaian yang betul,'' katanya.

Don dari kumpulan yang lebih sederhana di dalam GAM, yang diketuai oleh Menteri Dalam Negeri pergerakan itu Husaini Hasan, yang juga berpangkalan di Malaysia.

Beliau menggesa pasukan keselamatan Indonesia tidak menjadikan orang awam yang tidak berdosa sebagai sasaran dalam kempennya untuk menghapuskan pejuang pemisah.

''Jangan apa-apakan rakyat. Jika tentera dan polis mengambil tindakan ke atas mereka yang mencetuskan provokasi atau mengganggu keselamatan, teruskan. Tetapi tolong jangan jadikan rakyat sebagai sasaran,'' rayunya.

Di Jakarta hari ini akhbar Indonesian Observer memetik pemimpin masyarakat Acheh, Abdullah Puteh, sebagai berkata, Presiden Indonesia Abdurrahman Wahid telah meminta kerajaan Malaysia membantu menyelesaikan masalah Acheh.

''Indonesia telah meminta kerajaan Malaysia membantu menjadi perantara bagi perdamaian antara pihak yang berkonflik, dan kerajaan Malaysia bersetuju berbuat demikian,'' kata Abdullah dipetik oleh Observer selepas beliau dan 24 pemimpin Acheh lain bertemu Abdurrahman.

Perdana Menteri Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad dijadual melawat Indonesia pada Khamis dan Jumaat ini.

Sementara itu, komander tentera pejuang Acheh Utara, Darwis Jeunib menafikan dakwaan polis Jakarta minggu lalu bahawa GAM telah membeli senjata api yang dibuat oleh PT Pindad, syarikat milik tentera Indonesia, sambil menyifatkan ia sebagai 'provokasi murah'.

Acheh dilanda keganasan hampir setiap hari antara tentera Indonesia dan pejuang.

Dalam keganasan terbaru kelmarin, dua tentera Indonesia dibunuh oleh kumpulan disyaki pejuang di Cot Pradi di Acheh Barat, kata jurucakap polis Sayed Husaini. Lebih 250 orang, kebanyakannya orang awam, terbunuh sejak tahun ini.

Semalam, Menteri Hak Asasi Manusia Hasballah Saad berkata, duta Indonesia di Switzerland telah selesai berbincang dengan pemimpin pejuang Acheh yang dalam buangan dan kedua-dua pihak bersetuju untuk menyelesaikan krisis Acheh secara politik.

Bagaimanapun beliau berkata, komander tertinggi GAM Hasan Tiro, yang berpangkalan di Stockholm, tidak menghadiri dialog dengan duta. - AFP